The Best Retail Conferences to Attend in 2018

Exciting things are happening in the retail world in 2018. The best retail conferences this year offer insights on new trends, challenges, and opportunities on the horizon.

With a work schedule jam-packed with meetings and deadlines, it can be challenging to keep up with industry developments. However, there are still ways you can stay current, like attending a valuable learning experience among retail industry peers. 

Here’s a list of the best retail conferences we’re looking forward to in 2018.

January

NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show (January 14-16 in NYC). Deep dive into the future of retail with main stage sessions. Gain insights from 150+ business leaders driving innovation.

Affiliate Summit West: (January 7-9 in Las Vegas, NV) 6,000 digital marketers from 70 countries gather to connect. They learn innovation visions, cutting-edge technologies and business strategy for growing and improving the bottom line.

February

Future Stores: Retail Reimagined (February 5-7, 2018 in Miami). Focus on innovation and bridging the gap between physical and digital retail environments. Dropoff had a blast participating in Future Stores this week. Check it out!

Etail West: Transforming Retail Together (February 26 – March 1, 2018 in Palm Springs, CA). Learn how to grow your business by Identifying top challenges and finding results to implement into your retail strategy. 220 experts in retail will be speaking, half of which are are C-level and 75 percent are VP level and higher.

March

Shoptalk: The World’s Largest Conference for Retail and E-commerce (March 18-21, 2018 in Las Vegas). Shoptalk provides a platform for large retailers, manufacturers, startups, tech companies, investors, media, and analysts. There will be over 300 speakers from established retailers and brands who aim to reshape how consumers discover, shop, and buy. This is the third year Dropoff will participate in Shoptalk, and in 2018 you’ll be able to find our booth in the “Future Stores” Discovery Zone.

Independent Retailer Conference: Engage, Learn, Connect (March 11-14 in Las Vegas). Immerse yourself in a unique retail learning experience for indie store owners. Learn in-store and e-commerce operational insight and expertise for operations, marketing, publicity, merchandising and more.

Path to Purchase Summit: (March 12-14 in Chicago, IL). Collaborators, innovation seekers, passionate pioneers, and visionaries join together to re-imagine the future of commerce. 

PROSPER Show 2018: The Continuing education conference for established Amazon sellers (March 13-14 in Las Vegas, NV). Dive deeper into why most Amazon seller businesses don’t work and what to do about it. 

eCommerce Innovation Summit: Optimizing your e-commerce strategy (March 20-21 in San Francisco, CA). 28 speakers and 100 senior-level leaders who work in e-commerce, marketing, retail sales, and digital are attending. Share and develop new strategies, tools, and solutions to drive business. 

MivaCon 2018: Beyond E-commerce (March 21-23 in La Jolla, CA). Explore emerging tech and new sales channels that can help eCommerce professionals grow their businesses. 

April

Pulse 2018: The Ultimate Customer Success Event (April 10-11, 2018 in San Mateo, CA). 5,000+ attendees gather at Pulse to network and learn best practices and recent data on trends, tactics, and forecasts. Pulse offers over 250 sessions with over 150 expert speakers all packed into two days.

MTC Expo: The Event for Media, Technology, and E-commerce Leaders (April 24-26 in San Diego, CA). Learn about the latest trends and opportunities to help you accomplish your goals. MTC Expo brings together leaders responsible for creating and disseminating marketing campaigns, measuring ROI, and focusing on customer satisfaction. 

Retail Innovation Conference: The Center of Retail Transformation (April 30 – May 2 in NYC). Attend hands-on workshops and panels, learn actionable takeaways, and gain insights from top analysts. Network with 25 expert speakers and other attendees during lunchtime roundtables, cocktail receptions, NYC venues, and more.

May

B2B Online: The Digital Event for Manufacturers and Distributors (May 7-9 in Chicago). Over 75 experts in manufacturing and distributing will discuss innovation in B2B e-commerce and digital marketing. Learn how to overcome challenges in customer experience, going global, and personalization by using tips and insights from the conference.

D3: Dynamic Distribution Disruption – Retail USA 2018 (May 10-11, 2018 in New York City). Over 400 senior supply chain execs from major retailers, brands, CPG, and service provider companies will be in attendance. Address and discuss the quickly changing world of Omni-capable supply chain among major brands. Join breakout sessions and workshops to network with peers.

June

The Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition (IRCE): The One-Stop-Shop for E-Retailers (June 5-8, 2018 in Chicago). A conference and tradeshow catering to all of your e-retail needs. The conference has over 130 sessions, in-depth workshops, and multiple tracks covering topics and trends. The tradeshow component is the largest eCommerce trade show in the industry. It features over 600 solution and technology vendors offering successful insights and solutions.

Future Stores: The Conference for In-Store Experience Innovators (June 19-21,2018 in Seattle, WA). Future stores is ready to prepare senior retail executives in operations, marketing, digital, and technology.

Omnishopper 2018: Shopper Insights and Retail Activation (June 13-15, 2018 in Chicago). Learn from successful industry disruptors on how to succeed in a world dominated by Amazon, Apple, and Walmart.

Mobile Connect: The Invite-Only Mobile Commerce Event (June 11-13, 2018 in San Diego, CA). Connect with senior-level executives from top US brands, retailers and apps. Interact with innovation leaders to share challanges, find solutions amnd build relationships. 

July

Outdoor Retailer Summer Market (July 23-26, 2018 in Colorado): Surround yourself with influencers, stakeholders, key buyers, and people who influence the outdoor retail market. Learn new tips on how to buy, source, build new strategies, and educate.

Midwest e-Com Conference: 5th Annual Midwest E-com Conference for Sellers by Sellers (July 20-21, 2018, in Minneapolis, MN). Learn how the world of e-commerce is changing, new tactics to market your business and the rules of selling on various platforms including Amazon, Ebay, Etsy, and more. 

August

Etail East: The eCommerce & Omnichannel Conference (August 6-9, 2018 in Boston). Over 100 speakers representing America’s largest retailers, startups, and eCommerce disruptors. Learn about retailers who want world-class eCommerce. Discover big picture trends and specific actions ideas on how to keep up.

Retail Delivery Connect: An Invite-Only Forum for Logistics and Supply Chain Executives in Retail (August 12-14, 2018 in Ft. Lauderdale). This event is for senior-level logistics, supply chain, and transportation executives. Benchmark, share ideas, and find business solutions meanwhile building lasting relationships. Dropoff is excited to join RDC again in 2018.

October

Retail Global Overview: The Conference for Retail Professionals (October 9-11, 2018 in Las Vegas, NV). Focused on solutions for retailers. Access to 100+ local and global industry experts, networking opportunities, targeted and approachable solution providers, and knowledge sharing. 

November

Outdoor Retailer Winter Market (November 8-11 in Colorado): Gather with peers to learn more about trends and industry initiatives that are pushing the boundaries of the outdoor industry. Surround yourself around key buyers and reps from brick-and-mortar and ecommerce retailers.

Final Notes 

These are the best retail conferences because they’re reputable and deemed valuable in the retail space. Do your research and find a conference that best fits your needs. Enjoy!

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